factoring trinomials with decimals

[debeez]

Hi, I'am having trouble doing decimals. I know how to do it with normal numbers.
This problem has no common factors (v^2-0.1v-0.56) I know you have to find something that goes into
the sum and product but the decimal is throwing me off.


help! Thanks Debi

 

[tkhunny]

Would it be easier to work with this?

$\displaystyle \frac{1}{100}\cdot\left(100\cdot v^{2}\;-\;10\cdot v \;+\;56\right)$

Or maybe this?

$\displaystyle \frac{1}{50}\cdot\left(50\cdot v^{2}\;-\;5\cdot v \;+\;28\right)$

Don't ever struggle through what you have been given. Find a way to make your life easier. In this case, why do you think it can be factored? That might be the simplest consideration.

Note: The fact that it has been given with two decimal places MAY indicate limited precision in the coefficients. A transformation to integers may not be appropriate.

 

[mmm4444bot]

Can you think of two numbers whose product is -56 and whose sum is -1 ?

Divide each of those numbers by 10, and use them in your factorization.

EG:

Factor v^2 + 0.9v + 0.20

We consider two numbers whose product is 20 and whose sum is 9. These numbers are 4 and 5.

Divide each by 10, and write the factorization.

(v + 0.4)(v + 0.5)

 

[Denis]

$\displaystyle \frac{1}{100}\cdot\left(100\cdot v^{2}\;-\;10\cdot v \;+\;56\right)$
$\displaystyle \frac{1}{50}\cdot\left(50\cdot v^{2}\;-\;5\cdot v \;+\;28\right)$

Should be -56 and -28: go join Subhotosh in the corner ...

 

[tkhunny]

Gaaa...!! Transcription Failure! Sorry about that.

 

[Denis]

Gaaa...!! Transcription Failure! Sorry about that.

NO excuses...in the corner ye go !